North Korea To Resume Nuclear Talks

By STEVEN GREENHOUSE

Published: May 2, 1995

WASHINGTON, May 1—
North Korea informed the United States today that it would resume talks with American diplomats, but at a more senior level than in recent months, to try to break a deadlock over the North's nuclear program.

Negotiations broke down 10 days ago when the United States refused to accept North Korea's demand that a South Korean design not be used for two light-water nuclear reactors promised to the North.

In October, North Korea promised to freeze -- and ultimately dismantle -- its weapons-oriented nuclear program in exchange for Washington's promise to head a consortium to provide it with two light-water reactors worth $2 billion each. Plutonium from those reactors would be harder to use in nuclear weapons than plutonium from the North's existing gas-graphite reactor.

The United States has repeatedly said a South Korean design should be used for the two new reactors. Because South Korea plans to put up most of the $4 billion for the project, officials in Seoul have insisted that a South Korean model be used.

North Korea's public position is that the South Korean design is untested and unsafe, but Americans say the real reason the North rejects the design is pride -- it does not want reactors designed by its archenemy.

At his daily news briefing, Nicholas Burns, the State Department spokesman, said the two sides still had to work out the time and location of the talks. One American official said he expected the negotiations to resume in mid-May.

To lure North Korea back to the talks, Secretary of State Warren Christopher proposed on April 21 that the talks be raised to a senior level. He suggested that Robert C. Gallucci, the chief American negotiator with the North, would replace Gary Samore, a mid-level State Department official who headed the talks until they collapsed.

"They're holding out for the best deal they can get," one Administration official said. "The question is whether they can accept a deal that's politically face-saving in which South Korea has a central role or whether they won't be able to accept that at all."